Broken Wings
by ValiantToasters
Summary: Sequal to These Broken Souls Of Ours. Sakura finds out Sasukes drive to comfort her, that night. How many times can a soul be broken, before it can no longer repair itself? a bit angsty. reviews are much appriciated. sorry this took so long.


Sorry it took me so long to make a sequal. also apologize for the crappiness of this. it was quickly and sloppily done.

disclaimer: well, yeah.

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Tsunade nodded as Sasuke entered her office. "All charges have been dropped." She stared solemnly at the Uchiha. "Thank you." She said quietly.

Sasuke simply turned. "I assume I will not be followed." He said before leaving, his face void of the previously apparent emotion.

In retrospect, Tsunade wondered why on earth she had struck such a bargain. She knew for sure it would only result in disaster for Sakura. To bribe Sasuke to "comfort" her by not arresting him… but what else was she to do? If Sasuke hadn't helped Sakura, it would have been much worse. Even if it was false affection…

Resting her head in her hands, she sighed deeply. What on earth had she done?

-

Sakura stared out the window.

That's it.

For four hours, she had neither eaten nor drank anything. She simply sat there, oblivious to the world around her. She was not thinking, she was not speaking. She simply sat there, immersed in ancient emotions, memories, letting it all rush over her like a wave over the sand. And with each wave of emotion that swept over her, a little more of the barrier she had grown was washed away, revealing a thin, fragile heart. She trembled uncontrollably, the feelings rushing and swirling around her wildly.

It had been a long time since she had felt emotion, and it was alien to her. She savored the good feelings rushing through her, and quickly pushed away the foul ones.

"Sakura-Chan, are you alright?" a voice came from the hallway. "Tsunade Sama told me to come get you; she said she has work for you to do!"

Composing herself, Sakura forced her now-dead weight feet to move. _Long day._ She thought absently.

-

Sasuke stood outside the Konoha gates. On the road once more, he now found he was slightly at a loss for what to do. His life goal, defeating his brother and the defeat of his sensei, had been accomplished. What was he going to do with himself? He was at least expecting a couple weeks for a jury to decide something at Konoha, but he had bypassed that by acting as the ever-loved teammate to Sakura.

Vaguely, he felt the small twinge of emotion resonate in his stomach, but he quickly surpassed it. _Simply to get out of a sure to be sticky situation._ He reasoned with himself. _I severed all ties to my village years ago. Sakura is just another broken tie._ But for some reason, this tie kept trying to mend itself.

Unaware that he was doing so, Sasuke played back the previous night in his head.

'_Oh Sakura, you're strong.'_

He felt the urge to gag. He wondered how on earth Sakura hadn't been able to see through the obvious façade. To escape the punishment that was inevitable for abandoning his village. But then, he also wondered how on earth he hadn't been able to see how radiant she was that night. Her eyes had been so bright…

He shook his head. _Severed ties, severed ties. I am void of emotion. I do not need them, they are a hindrance, and make you weak._ He chanted to himself.

But for some reason, the picture of Sakuras glowing green eyes staring up at him with such a flood of emotions… no matter how hard he tried, the Sharingan-saved memory kept resurfacing. _I betrayed her._ he told himself. _I lied to her and I felt no remorse about it whatsoever. I was cold hearted and…_ but there was no use lying about it. He _had_ felt remorse. The panging in his stomach, the sorrow, the guilt that he was once again gaining her trust only to fracture it more deeply than last time, it haunted him until he couldn't function. He had to get out of here, get away from that damned pink hair—

"…Sasuke?" a soft voice came from behind him.

Damn it all.

He turned slowly, though he kept his gaze wandering. From his peripheral vision he could see her pink hair, vibrant against the dark greens and browns of the forest and the Konoha wall. He could tell she was trying to capture his gaze, but he knew he would never be able to live with it if she did.

"What do you want?" he asked, inwardly wincing at the coldness.

Sakura looked strained. "Where are you going?" she asked. The innocence in her voice almost made Sasuke feel like he should stay. Just so he didn't have to tell her he was leaving… again.

"I…" he was at a loss for words. The last time he did this he had seen the effects it had on her soul. Was he really ready to plummet her back into that state?

Sakura looked down. "You're leaving again." she said, her words portraying the betrayal she felt.

Sasuke nodded simply, his face empty. "Yes."

Sakura looked up. "Why did you come last night?" she asked, her voice rising slightly. "Why did you do any of that? Why??" she practically yelled at him.

Sighing slightly, he turned back towards the path leading away from the village hidden in the leaves. "The Hokage granted me free leave if I comforted you." He said, monotone voice cutting through Sakuras heart like a blade of ice.

"She… what….?" Sakura felt the bottom of her heart fall out. She frowned, holding back the tears as best she could. "It was all a lie then." Sasuke felt a tiny little flutter in his heart. So small he might not have caught it, if it hadn't been for the fact that he wasn't expecting it. "You don't care about me," Sakuras voice drifted icily through sasuke, making the small flutter spark and take growth.

"Sakura, I—" Sasuke began but she cut him off.

"It's alright, Sasuke." She said, her cool voice so quite he almost didn't hear. "Don't pretend like you still care about anything here." Her eyes bore livid holes into the back of his head, and for the first time in years, he felt uncomfortable under someones gaze.

"Leave."

The sparkling little feeling inside of him flared up suddenly, taking him by surprise. He unconsciously gripped his chest. It felt like his heart was being shredded. He didn't like it at all. "Sakura listen," Sasuke started.

"LEAVE!" She screamed, cutting him off. As she turned and ran he saw the looked of hatred in her eyes.

Sasuke turned back around and watched her rush back into the city gates, not bothering to talk to the guards. She didn't glance back at the man. If she had, she might have been able to catch the look of sadness in his eye as he fell to his knees, pulled down by the weight of a fractured heart.

-

Sakuras tears had long since gone dry. There was nothing left inside of her. She was empty.

She stood on the cliff face of the Hokages, staring out over the expanse of the village. Her eyes softened as she looked down at the drop before her. It was impossibly high. Someone could most definetly die if they were to fall--or, perhaps, jump…

She would finally be able to know what it felt like to fly.

-

Sasuke sat on the high ledge of the wall surrounding Hidden Leaf. He couldn't cry, and he hated himself for it.

He _should_ be crying. This was the most terrible event of his life.

He sighed, closing his eyes. He couldn't take it. Maybe he should leave, staying would only cause her more hurt, right?

A gust of wind, driven from the center of Konoha tossed a small cherry blossom across the sky, catching in Sasukes silken hair. He reached up and took it out, carefully staring at it's delicate beauty in sadness.

Another surge of wind tore the little flower from his hand, and he turned instinctively to attempt to keep it with him.

As he turned, his hand reached out towards Konoha, and he saw something that made his heart stop.

-

Sakura closed her eyes, letting the fierce pulsing wind tear the breathe from her lungs. She was vaguely aware of voices screaming, far below, but she wasn't concerned.

She savored the feeling of freedom, nothing holding her back, and she was dependant on nothing. It was only her and the birds up here.

Suddenly, she was aware of firm, warm arms around her, and a gentle thud not at all like the one she had expected--even longed for.

Instead, it was the angels voice. "Sakura? Sakura! _SAKURA!" _

Sasuke shook her, cradling her soft pink hair against his shoulder as he sobbed out her name. "Don't leave me Sakura, I couldn't bear it!"

Sakura opened her eyes weakly. "Why not?"

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut. "Because… because… _I love you, Sakura!" _

One pale, fragile hand reached up and gently wiped away the tears that had dampened Sasukes cheeks.

She smiled. "I know."

Sasuke looked down. There, with a linger of a smile still on her lips, Sakura had stopped breathing.

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"_These violent delights have violent ends…" _

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_This wasn't supposed to happen. It was supposed to be a happy ending._

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_I was supposed to carry you off into the sunset._

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_Can't you give me a chance to live happily ever after?_

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Pale light slanted in through the vertical blinds of the hospital bed.

Sakura frowned. If this was heaven, heaven was uncomfortable, and had a very ugly choice of color scheme.

But the kunoichi was unable to dwell on the repulsive pastels on the walls of heaven, when a set of cool, urgent lips set on her forehead. Looking up, she saw Sasuke, who looked like death in sandals. He must not have slept for so long…

But Sasuke was kissing her again, murmuring reassurances in her ears.

"_I'll never leave you. I'll never be able to take myself away from you, ever again. I couldn't do that, I would die. I promise I'll always be by your side. I'll be here for you now. I'm a part of you Sakura…" _

Sakuras eyes closed again, and she sighed contentedly. Maybe heaven wasn't so bad.

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is sakura in heaven? did she die? or is she in the hospital recovering? you decide.

reviews and constructive criticism are appriciated. i know, the ending sort of sucks.


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